Sanitary attachment for telephone-transmitters.



No. 7|5,455. Patented Dec. 9, I902.

u. BAETHIG. v SANITARY ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS.

Application filed Ma 23,1902.) 'Nu Mndel.) 2 Sheets--Shaef No. 75,455. Patented Dec. 9. 1902 H. BAETHIG.

SANlTARY ATTACHMENT FOB TELEPHONE TRANSIMTTERS. v [Application filed May 23, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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SEEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,455, dat d D b 9, 1902. Application filed May 23, 1902. Serial No- 108,633. (No model.)

T0 at whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY BAETHIG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo,

in the county of Erie and Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in SanitaryAttachrnents for Telephone-Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the attachments which are applied to telephone-transmitters for holding a sheet of paper or similar thin material across the bell-shaped end of the transmitter, so as to protect the speaker against inhaling any disease-germs deposited in the transmitter.

The object of my invention is the provision of a neat and inexpensive holder or support for such sanitary or protecting sheets which can be readily applied to any ordinay telephone. y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a telephone-transmitter provided with my improved holding attachment. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections in lines 2 2 and 3 3, Fig. 1, looking toward the mouthpiece. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the attachment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a simplified form of the attachment. Fig. 6 is a cross-section thereof, taken immediately in rear of the sheet-holder. Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the holder.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the usual head or case of the transmitter, A the arm which carries the same, and B the bell-shaped mouthpiece of the transmitter projecting forwardly from said head.

My improved holder consists of a band or clasp O, which embraces the neck of the mouthpiece adjacent to the head A, and an arm 0', extending forwardly from the top of the clasp to the outer edge of the mouthpiece and terminating in a hook, spur, or catch D. From this hook is suspended a sheet of paper E, forming a sanitary guard or diaphragm across the end of the mouthpiece.

The clasp C is preferably split at its lower side and constructed of elastic metal, so that the same can be readily sprung over the neck of the mouthpiece. For this purpose the opening of the clasp is narrower than the diameter of said neck and the free ends of its side members are bent outward slightly to facilitate the application of the clasp. The

supporting arm O is curved upwardly from the clasp to conform closely to the surface of the bell-shaped mouthpiece, as shown.

The sheets E, which are somewhat larger than the mouth of the transmitter, are preferably of soft thin paper, so as to hang straight across the mouthpiece and at the same time not interfere with the transmission of the sound-waves.

I prefer to employ, in connection with the hoider,a rack or shelf F for supporting a package of the protecting-sheets. This shelf is arranged in a forwardly inclined position above the head A of the transmitter and supported by a bracket G, clamped to the arm of the transmitter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The shelf is provided at its upper edge with a stopflange f and at its lower edge with a concave lip f, which fits over the head it of the transmitter-head. As shown in Fig. 1, the sheets rest upon the shelf between the flangef and the lip f.

I indicates a guide or rod extending forwardly and downwardly from the lower portion of the shelf and terminating in close proximity to the rear side of the hook B and below its upper end. This guide-rod passes through perforations in the lower portions of the several sheets. The rod is suitably swiveled or pivoted at its upper end to the shelf, so that it can be swung laterally clear of the transmitter-bell for threading the previouslyperforated sheets over the rod, the latter being returned to its normal position after applying the sheets. The guide-ro'd is preferably so constructed that it must be sprung under or against the rear side of the hook, so as to hold the rod against lateral displacement in the ordinary use of the device.

Before using the telephone the uppermost sheet of the package is seized at its free upper edge, drawn forwardly along the guiderod 1, and turned down over the mouth of the transmitter-bell, as shown in Fig. 1. As

the suspension-hook D extends above the lower end of the guide-rod it passes through the perforation of the sheet upon folding the latter down over the bell, thus supporting the sheet. In this position the sheet isolates the speakers mouth from the chamber of the mouthpiece, preventing his inhaling any disease germs that may lodge in the same. After using the telephone the sanitary sheet is simply stripped from the hook and thrown away. In this way each speaker uses a fresh sheet, and alldanger of his becoming infected from the breath of the previous speaker is averted. As the sheets are small and an inferiorgrade of paper can be used the expense in cident to the use of the holder is but nominal.

The hook D,with its clasp C, can be cheaply manufactured by stamping it in a single piece out of spring-steel or other suitable material.

, If desired,the holder,consisting of the clasp C and hook D, may be used without the shelf F and the guide I, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case a package of sheets may be hung up near the telephone, and before using the instrument a sheet is simply detached and thrust over the hook D.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the mouthpieceof a telephone-transmitter provided on its front portion with a hook or catch, of a sheet-support arranged adjacent to the transmitter, and a guide arranged to direct the sheets from said support to said hook or catch, substan tially as set forth.

2. The combination with the mouthpiece of a telephone-transmitter provided on its front portion with a hook or catch, of a sheet-support mounted on the transmitter in rear of the mouthpiece, and a guide adapted to pass through the sheets and extending from said support to the rear side of said hook or catch, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the mouthpiece of a telephone-transmitter provided on its front portion with a hook or catch, of a sheet-support mounted on the transmitter in rear of the mouthpiece, and a laterally-swinging guide-rod extending forwardly from said support and terminating at the rear side of said hook, substantially as set forth.

4. An attachment for a telephone-transmitter, consisting of a clasp constructed to embrace the transmitter and provided with a hook or spur adapted to penetrate a sanitary sheet and arranged to support the same across the mouth of the transmitter, substantially as set forth.

5. An attachment for a telephone-transmitter, comprising a split spring-clasp constructed to embrace the neck of the transmitterbell, and an arm extending forwardly and upwardly from the top of said clasp and terminating in a hook which is arranged to support a sanitary guard-sheet across the mouth of the transmitter-bell, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the bell-shaped mouthpiece of a telephone-transmitter, of a holder comprising a split elastic clasp constructed to spring over the neck of the mouthpiece, and an arm extending forwardly from the top of said clasp to the edge of the mouthpiece and terminating in a hook adapted to support a sanitary guard-sheet across the mouthpiece, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 20th day of May, 1902. I

HENRY BAETHIG.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. PoPP, CARL F. GEYER. 

